The Wutach Gorge - Baden
Transcription
The Wutach Gorge - Baden
Staatliche Naturschutzverwaltung Baden-Württemberg vor 25 000 Jahren The terrain before the Wutach River‘s sharp diversion at the end of the last ice age (25,000 years ago) with Feldberg-Danube (Feldbergdonau) and Original Wutach (Ur-Wutach) The wild Wutach River continues to shape the face of the gorge (MS) Feldberg-Danube, vor 15 000 Jahrenthe headstream of the Danube catchment, which gently descended through the Blumberg Gap (Blumberger Pforte) Eichberg between Eichberg Buchberg and Buchberg into today’s Ai- trach Valley. By about 18 to 20,000 years ago, sediment deposits had built up the Feldberg-Danube channel and, after one or several extreme instances of high water, the river cleared the fi- vor 25 000 Jahren The Wutach Gorge – Nature Reserve and Natura 2000 Protected Area Stages of diversionnau Feldber above sea level Feldberg 1493 m Buchberg 1500 u Feldber ch vor 10 000 Jahren 1000 rm er F e Titisee 847 m ldb erg Glaci er Seebac h Neustadt 812 m Mouth of Rötenbach Creek 713 m Räuberschlössle Today 10 (hd) u Bedrock gorge West Buchberg na Eichberg 913 m Achdorf 538 m Blumberg 705 m Neu-Tannegg ruin, popularly known as “Burg Boll” („Boll Castle“) (Gei) The Wutach River near Gündelwangen (Gei) to where Gauchach Creek spills into the Wutach River, the Wutach finally enters Keuper strata (from the Upper Triassic period) and then, further downstream, Lower and Middle Jurassic strata. egg, located below the village of Boll, and the remains of a stone wall of Stallegg Castle, near Göschweiler. In the Wutach Gorge alone, there is evidence of seven castles with pre-Christian fortifications. These castles asserted and protected claims to power. Living and working in the gorge Donau Wutach 10 x vertical exaggeration Porphyr Aitr vor 18 000 Jahren Eichberg Wutachmühle 570 m 500 Buchberg Wutach Mouth of Gauchach Creek 574 m Bad Boll 619 m Former Feldberg-Danube ach Eichberg Schattenmühle 657 m Gutach (hd) Wutach 20 crystalline bedrock Buntsandstein Muschelkalk gorge 30 Muschelkalk Keuper East 40 Lower Jurassic (Lias) The Wutach Gorge has always been an impediment for working people. Until the Middle Ages, the Wutach River between Kappel and Grimmelshofen could only be crossed at fords; annual high waters and constant ground shifts made 50 Middle Jurassic (Dogger) 60 km Water power was often the only available source of energy, and it was used early on in the Wutach Gorge. Even so, millers had a hard life, due to storms and associated floodings. Once the “mill obligation” or “mill soke,” guaranteeing income, was rescinded in 1848, the mills located in the gorge (hd) REGIERUNGSPRÄSIDIUM FREIBURG WUS_ UmschlagB ezug_RZ_4 82x310 11.07.14 08:54 Seite 1 July 2014, 1st English edition 7,000 copies Die Wut ach allererste – einer der letzt n Ranges“, en Wild landscha wie es scho flüsse Deutsch ft heißt. lands, ein n 1971 in Entlang bietet die der erst „Naturph ihre Wutach en Mon änom Einblicke s Oberlaufs bis Entwick ografie lung zur Mün in über dies en dung in reiche Tier- als „Grand Cany Jahrmillionen den Hoch e Flussder Erdg on“ des und Pflan eschichte rhei Schwarzw Bereits , zeigt ihre n seit 1939 zenwelt. aldes und lebendig schutz, steht das beherbe 1979 wurd e beliebte rgt eine en die beei der Wut facetten Tourismu ach-Seit sgebiet ndrucken enbäche Wutachs den Wut Erfahren in chlu den achfl Sie in dies cht unte strengen ühen und über eine r Natur em umf 1989 die einzigar assenden Schutzstatus Schlucht tige Natu mit einb Sie ein en auf eine ezogen. r- und Kult , reich bebilder spannend ten Landscha urlandsc e Reise haft. Fach Buch viel Wiss ftsgeschi zu ensw geologis zuletzt kundige ertes über histo chte, einer vielf chen Beso Autoren ältigen rische und laden schutzbe nderheit Flora und en, eine strebun heutige Fauna gen. r bewegte Nutzunge n n im Kon und informieren text jahr • Detaillier zehntelan nicht te, allge ger Natu mein der jewe riligen Fach verständliche • Geeigne Erläuteru gebiete t für jede ngen von und n Naturinte fachkundigen oder als renommi vertiefen Wut erte ress achkenne n Experten ierten, • Zahlreich de Lekt ob als Reis rn üre für e brillante bereits ender zur „vor Ort“ auch zu Foto Orts Urla grafien einem ästh ubsvorbe und auss kundige • Mit Glos reitung etischen agekräfti sar Genuss ge Grafi • Zum Blät der Fachbegr ken mac iffe und tern, Schm hen das Buch ökern und ausführliche m Register Nachschl zur Schn agen ellorient ierung Upper Jurassic (Malm) D i e Wu ta c h W iild lldddee Waassse ser steile lle Schllluuuc – chhtteen n www.thorb ecke.de DIESES PRODU ISBN 978-3- KT WURD E IN DEUTS 7995-0 449-2 CHLAN 2 Euro vom Erlös dieses Buches an die Stiftun fließen Naturschutzfog nds. More about the Wutach River in this new book! Feldbe o rgd Published by: Regierungspräsidium Freiburg (RP FR) Referat 56 - Naturschutz und Landschaftspflege Bissierstraße 7, 79114 Freiburg, www.rp-freiburg.de Overall concept and text: RP Freiburg (F. Tribukait) und Wutach-Ranger M. Schwenninger Photo credits and map: Berg (Be), Dannenmeyer (Dan), Geisenhof (Gei), hoyerdesign (hd), Kersting (Ker), Klüber (Klü), Kretzschmar (Kre), Rasbach (Ras), Schwenninger (MS), Steegmüller (KS), Ullrich (Ull) Translation: Michael Mundhenk Production: Repro-Service & pk-Verlag Peter Klüber, 79348 Freiamt www.klueber-repro-verlag.de Distribution: This brochure can be obtained through: Landesanstalt für Umwelt, Messungen und Naturschutz Baden-Württemberg (LUBW) Postfach 10 0163, 76231 Karlsruhe http://www.lubw.baden-wuerttemberg.de/servlet/is/6649 Wutach Gorge Feldsee 1108 m Fo UrWu ta Early Ice Age (KS) A 30-km hike (about 20 mi) along the Wutach River offers a richly varied journey through several hundred million years of geological history. Like a geology textbook example, the Wutach cuts through almost all the rock strata to be found in southwestern Germany. From a narrow bedrock gorge of Black Forest gneiss and granite, the river flows over the distinctively colored Buntsandstein (sandstone from the Lower Triassic period) into the Muschelkalk (shell limestone from the Middle Triassic period) gorge with its bright, often steep walls. Close Geological strata, schematic cross-section o gd Eichberg a on gd (MS) chten na u o rgd The deepening of the Wutach River ile Schlu Buchberg ta c h Eichberg sser – ste vor 18 000 Jahren it impossible to build bridges or roads that would last. The first evidence of a temporary wooden bridge dates only from the 15th century. Small settlements developed around such crossings or near the scattered gypsum mills, flour mills, and sawmills. Hikers can still spot ruins of medieval castles high up on the edges of the gorge, such as the ruin of Neu-Tann- W ilde Wa Feldber Let’s take ourselves back 25,000 years to the last ice age, when au on the higher-elevation areas of the Ur- southern Black Forest were gd Wu ta covered by a thick ice shield, withchglacier tongues also stretching eastwards. Meltwater was carried down by the so-called Feldbe (KS) The “ wild Wutach Gorge”, located between Neustadt and Wutachmühle, was, for a long time, feared for its rough terrain. Even today only few roads cross the gorge, but marked hiking trails maintained by the Schwarzwaldverein (Black Forest Hiking and Mountaineering Association) make it readily accessible. Observant hikers will be treated to a wild German river environment unique for its geology and landscape history. The Wutach Gorge offers a congenial habitat for many rare animals and plants, some of them endangered. Due to its unspoiled nature, its geological distinctiveness, and its flora and fauna, the gorge was declared a nature reserve in 1939 in order to preserve it as a natural environment and recreational area for future generations. It thus ranks as one of the oldest nature reserves in Germany’s southwestern state of BadenWürttemberg. Under the Natura 2000 initiative, the area is now also protected by the European Union. nal hurdle to the valley of the Ur-Wutach, the original Wutach River, to the south. For about the last 12,000 years, this sharp turn southward towards the upper Rhine has been irreversible, establishing the present-day course of the river with the distinctive knee of the Wutach (Wutachknie) near today’s village of Achdorf. After its diversion, the Wutach River carved a new bed for itself down to 180 m (600 ft) below the old valley bottom of the Feldberg-Danube. To this day, through erosion, high waters, and flooding, this untamed and unspoiled wild river continues to shape the face of the landscape. D i e Wu Eichberg Buchberg The formation of the Wutach Gorge Where the wild river rushes … D HERGE STELLT heute Eichberg Buchberg Blumberg Around 1900, the Wutach River was famous for being one of the best trout rivers in Europe, and its fishing industry was of great importance. The water quality of the Wutach River deteriorated until the 1970s from, among other things, the industrial plants situated in its drainage basin. Today, the water quality has again reached a level that allows various species of fish typically found in wild rivers – such as the rare brown trout (Salmo trutta) – to live there. Conservationists and fishing leaseholders share one goal: to preserve a diverse indigenous fish population in this near-natural river setting. vor 15 000 Jahren The Wutach Gorge: A paradise for plants and animals Eichberg vor 10 000 Let’s look in Jahren more detail at two examples of these diverse plant communities. On the shadowy, moist northern slopes of Eichberg Buchberg the Muschelkalk gorge we find a species-rich maple-ash forest. In spring, wild garlic (Allium ursinum) and spring snowflakes fir-beech forest Perennial honesty (Lunaria rediviva) (Gei) fir-beech forest heute Buchberg Blumberg An unusual feature of the Wutach Gorge was the renowned health resort of Bad Boll. During the 19th century, this luxurious thermal spa was built around the mineral spring that had been known for its healing powers since the late Middle Ages. The spa’s glory days extended from 1887 to 1914. The excellent cuisine at the resort, the spa gardens with their two ponds on which gondola rides were offered, the variety of medicinal baths, and, not least, the electric illumination of the gardens and local waterfalls were big attractions around the turn of the century. In 1894, Bad Boll was taken over by an Spring snowflakes (Leucojum vernum), harbingers of spring in the gorge (Ras) Wutach Eichberg View of the former spa of Bad Boll, around 1890 (Leucojum vernum) cover the forest floor. In summer, they’re replaced by perennial honesty (Lunaria rediviva), baneberry (herb Christopher, Actaea spicata), and other plants that love humusrich, moist soil. The older trees with their thick layers of moss and lichen make the woodlands look like an enchanted forest. Buchberg Unique climatic influences, diverse landforms, and a variety of Wutach Achdorf soils result in a colorful mosaic of gorge microhabitats, ranging u na from extremelygdodry (for instance, around the limestone rocks) to extremely wet (e.g. in the floodplain) and offer a home to varied plant communities. Of the approximately 2,800 ferns and flowering plants catalogued in southern Germany, around 1,000 species alone can be found in the Wutach Gorge. Aitr ach English fishing club that subsequently promoted opening up the gorge for hikers. Over time, Bad Boll’s popularity waned and the buildings were used for other purposes until they were finally demolished. In 1991, it became the property of the state of Baden-Württemberg. Today, forestry is the most important industry in the gorge. Attempts are under way to nurture the species-rich woodland communities and preserve the near-natural mixed deciduous forests typically found in this area. The forest plays an important role in protecting against erosion and rockfall. Also, a few smallish sawmills make use of the abundance of wood found along the Wutach River. Feldber could not survive. Today, only the Schattenmühle mill is still generating power from the Wutach River. Stallegg, a hydraulic power station on the Wutach and a new facility close to Ewattingen show that using the steep drop of a wild river (a gradient of 1% compared to 0.1% found in more level river channels) for power generation is still a valid proposition. Though today we enjoy the beauty of nature in the Wutach Gorge, up until a hundred years ago people struggled to wrest their livelihood from it, in the process transforming the gorge into a cultural landscape. pines moist, cool shadowy slopes dry, hot rock face Wutach maple-linden forest Achdorf riparian forest with grey alders (Alnus incana) common butterbur (Petasites hybridus) high water warm, sunny slopes floodplain with cutoffs Brown trout (Salmo trutta) (Be) maple-ash forest Vegetational cross-section of the Muschelkalk gorge gravel island sloping bank steep bank Wutach River steep, rocky Muschelkalk wall In the floodplain at the bottom of the gorge, an altogether different picture emerges. During high waters, the Wutach River builds up new gravel islands on which pioneer plants like creeping yellowcress (Rorippa sylvestris) and herb Barbara (Barbarea officinalis) grow. On firm gravel surfaces, reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) and large populations of striking common butterbur (Petasites hybridus) can be found. The animal world of the Wutach Gorge is similarly diverse. Zoologists estimate that about 10,000 species of vertebrates, arthropods, and molluscs live here. Characteristic animals you might spot, with a bit of luck, include the white-throated dipper (Cinclus cinclus); the fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra terrestris), typically active after a rainfall; and Liparus germanus, a small black weevil. Each of these species has its peculiarities. For example, the white-throated dipper catches its prey underwater and Liparus germanus cuts countless holes into the leaves of the common butterbur. White-throated dipper (Cinclus cinclus) (Ull) Turk‘s cap lily (Lilium martagon) (MS) Cheddar pink (Dianthus gratianopolitanus) (Gei) Lady‘s slipper orchid (Cypripedium calceolus) (Gei) Inflorescence of the common butterbur (Petasites hybridus) (MS) Conservation is key The Wutachschlucht-Gauchachtal Nature Reserve was established in 1939. Shortly afterwards, the area was threatened by an ambitious project. In 1941, plans were afoot to dam the river to generate power. However, with the help of an advoExposed rock between Dietfurt and Schurhammerhütte (Sch) cacy group called “Save the Wutach Gorge,” organized by the Schwarzwaldverein and its future president Fritz Hockenjos, it was possible to prevent the dam project from going forward – a lasting legacy of the Schwarzwaldverein. In 1989, the nature reserve’s boundaries were revised. The Wutach Gorge now encompasses 950 hectares (over 3.5 sq mi), with the surrounding conservancy area covering another 415 hectares (1.6 sq mi). Comprehensive protective provisions are necessary to preserve the unique Wutach Gorge. The number of visitors is already high, and it is increasing. The resulting impact on nature can be kept to a minimum only if preservation rules are strictly followed. We can only protect what we know – hence this Fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra terrestris) (MS) Natterer‘s bat (Myotis nattereri) (Kre) Wutach floodplain with thick carpet of common butterbur during the summer (Gei) brochure. Information pavilions at Schattenmühle, the former Bad Boll resort site, and Wutachmühle offer additional information about the special features of the gorge. Nature hikes and lectures offered by the local resort towns and associations round off the wide range of information provided by the nature conservation authorities. Important local contacts are the volunteer “Wutach Scouts”, who wear lapel pins saying “Naturschutzdienst”. Please support these volunteers from the Schwarzwaldverein and the Bergwacht (Mountain Rescue Service) in their work – your cooperation is crucial! Since 1994, a full-time nature conservation officer – the “Wutach Ranger” – has worked in the gorge on behalf of the nature conservation authorities. The officer is glad to tell you about his work and the programs on offer (for contact information, see the inside of this brochure). The Schwarzwaldverein, the area’s municipalities, and the three districts of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald, Schwarzwald-Baar-Kreis, and Waldshut can provide additional information. Waterfall at Tannegg (Ker) Exploring the gorge on shank’s pony For decades, the many hiking trails through the Wutach Gorge have been marked and maintained by the Schwarzwaldverein and its volunteers. The long-distance trail from Freiburg to Lake Constance (Querweg Freiburg-Bodensee) – waymarked by a red-and-white lozenge on a yellow background – follows the gorge between Haslachschlucht and Achdorf. For nature‘s sake Picnic areas with fire pits are located at Wutachmühle, Schurhammerhütte, and near Dietfurt. We’re delighted you’re showing an interest in the nature reserve and hope you‘ll relax and enjoy the beauty of nature. At the same time, to assist the Nature Conservation authorities in protecting this environment, please abide by the following rules: Hint: You don’t have to begin your Wutach Gorge hike at the main entry points. Why not hike from one of the surrounding villages across the scenic Muschelkalk plateau and let yourself be surprised by the impressive drop of the gorge? Please note: Depending on the weather and the time of year, some stretches of the gorge’s trails can be slippery and dangerous. Wearing appropriate footwear and paying careful attention are important for a safe hike. Should you, despite every precaution, slip, look for the signs put up by the Bergwacht to help you identify the rescue sector (Rettungssektor) you’re in and get help fast. Please do not leave the marked trails. Rest or take breaks only in designated picnic areas. Leaving the trails damages or destroys delicate flora and fauna in the nature reserve (including in the water). At steep slopes, other visitors may be endangered by falling rocks if you go off the trail. Bräunlingen Hüfingen Friedenweiler Please contribute to preserving the area’s biodiversity by not picking or digging up any plants. Many rare and threatened plants can be found in the gorge. Sumpfohren Titisee-Neustadt Black kite (Milvus migrans) (Dan) Rock at Räuberschlössle (KS) All dogs must be kept on a leash. Whenever dogs are around, ground-breeding birds tend to leave their nests, exposing their fledglings to increased danger. On the narrow trails, even peaceful dogs can be a danger to each other unless kept on a leash. Gauchach Gorge (KS) Dittishausen Behla Please ride your bike or mountain bike only on solid trails that are at least 2 m (6.5 ft) wide. Horseback riding is not Fürstenberg allowed on footpaths or on marked hiking trails less than 3 m (10 ft) wide. Cyclists and equestrians will find an extensive network of trails surrounding the Wutach Gorge. There are no horse or bicycle trails traversing the gorge lengthwise. Donaueschingen (MS) The following routes are particularly recommended for half-day or day hikes: • Kappel-Gutachbrücke via Räuberschlössle to Schattenmühle (10 km) • Schattenmühle to Bad Boll (4 km) • Schattenmühle – Inselwirts-Keller – Bachheim (11 km) • Lotenbachklamm (1 km) • Round trip: Bachheim Wanderparkplatz (hikers’ parking lot) – Inselwirts-Keller – the mouth of Gauchach Creek – Gauchachschlucht to Burgmühle – Bachheim (10 km) • Round trip: Boll – Bad Boll – Schurhammerhütte – via Rosshütte back to Boll Wanderparkplatz (hikers’ parking lot) (8 km) Neustadt Rötenbach Unadingen Help keep nature free of litter and garbage by taking your refuse home with you. Within the nature reserve, there are no garbage cans. Löffingen Rötenbachschlucht Gu t Haslachschlucht How you can support our work Using public transport is quick and environmentally friendly. The Wutach Gorge can be easily reached by bus and train. During the season, special runs of hikers’ buses are available on weekends and holidays. With a complimentary KONUS Guest Card (offered by accommodation providers), visitors Rötenbach can travel on those for free as well. You can get brochures and further information about transportation options from Deutsche Bahn, Südenbadenbus (www.suedbadenbus.de), or local tourist offices. If you’d like to contribute to helping preserve this unique series of gorges, you can make a donation by bank transfer, using the reference word „Wutachschlucht,“ to one of the following two accounts: Donations Accounts of the Stiftung Naturschutzfonds (Nature Conservation Fund) Baden-Württembergische Bank: IBAN: DE15 6005 0101 0002 8288 88, BIC: SOLADEST Löffingen Postbank Stuttgart: IBAN: DE67 6001 0070 0010 1007 06, BIC: PBNKDEF h Burgmühle Göschweiler Donaueschingen Döggingen Stallegg Reiselfingen Inselwirts-Keller Unadingen Räuberschlössle Rümmelesteg Holzschlag Gauchachschlucht Gündelwangen Schattenmühle Long-distance trail between Freiburg and Lake Constance Rail line Schluchtensteig hiking trail Döggingen Wutachmühle Information pavilion Wutach Unadingen ehem. Bad Boll 570 m Shelter Schurhammerhütte 0 500 m 757 m 1000 m Blumberg 704 m former ehem. Bad Boll Schurhammerhütte Ewattingen Überachen Achdorf 539 m Rosshütte Buchberg 880 m (Klü) Münchingen Bus stop Hiking trail Versickerung 619 m Boll Restaurant Aselfingen Wutach 757 m Natura 2000 (Habitats Directive Area) Wiederaustritt Rümmelesteg Neu-Tanneg 570 m g llblech w e We Donaueschingen Inselwirts-Keller Neu-Tannegg Lotenbachklamm Boll Bachheim Reiselfingen Parking Fire pit Achdorf Blumberg 2000 m Bonndorf Ep Ruin 3000 m Ewattingen Roßhütte Münchingen Fundamental GIS data © Landesamt für Geoinformation und Landentwicklung Gündelwangen Baden-Württemberg (www.lgl-bw.de) 2012, 2851.2-D/7052. Mundelfingen Lausheim Blumegg 665 m Gauchachschlucht Rümmelesteg (MS) Lembach Bonndorf Burgmühle schweiler Liverwort (Hepatica nobilis) (MS) Rothaus Wellendingen Bachheim Dillendorf g og ere nm ü Silver-washed fritillary (Argynnis paphia) (MS) Josef‘s rock (Ker) Wel lble Sa us w ch This brochure can be obtained Schattenmühle Gündelwangen • at municipal offices and local tourist offices,Lotenbachthe Schwarzklamm Löffingen waldverein (see above), or LUBW (see back panel) • in the Gorge itself at Gasthaus Schattenmühle, at the information booth at Wutachmühle, or from the nature conservation officers in the field. Wutachmühle Mundelfingen Wutach Gorge Nature Reserve Dietfurt Reemergence Wiederaustritt Versickerung Sinkhole Dietfurt Burgmühle 776 m Bachheim 776 m Lenzkirch Stiftung Naturschutzfonds Baden-Württemberg beim Ministerium für Ländlichen Raum und Verbraucherschutz Seppenhofen Kernerplatz 10, D-70182 Stuttgart www.stiftung-naturschutz-bw.de The Wutach Gorge (Wutachschlucht) hiking map (scale: 1:35,000), issued by the Landesvermessungsamt (state surveychlucht ing office) and the Schwarzwaldverein, 713 m at Schlossbergring 15, Wu tac h D-79098 Freiburg, tel: 0761-380530, Göschweiler www.schwarzwaldverein.de General information: • local tourist offices and online at www.wutachschlucht.de Stallegg and www.schluchtensteig.de • Martin Schwenninger, full-time nature conservation officer, Landratsamt Waldshut, tel: 07703-919412, Räuberschlössle email: [email protected]. Holzschlag nbach Expertly led tours upon request and with prior registration. Boating is prohibited between March 1 and July 31, and swimming is prohibited year-round. The Wutach River and Riedböhringen its banks are home to special animals and plants no longer found anywhere else. Swimming and canoeing disturb these Eschach habitats and threaten rare species. Also, your own safety may be endangered by rockfall into the river. 713 m Wu tac h l e nwe g h Additional sources of information Mundelfingen Fe l senpfad M Rötenbachschlucht Gauchachschlucht Seppenhofen Tips for getting to the Wutach Gorge Please only light fires in designated barbecue areas, and do not camp. Vegetation is damaged when a fire is lit outside a designated area or when a tent is put up. Also, wild animals Opferdingen living in the reserve need nighttime peace. h ac Kappel (MS) Seppenhofen Hausen vor Wald Döggingen eg chw änz le bahn Fützen 575 m